Beet-topper.



5 SHEETS-s113311.

NN NNBK MN NWN Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

(JnueuozA BERT TOPPER.

' B. F. BINDER @L R. o. DEULBN'.

'APPLIOATION FI'LED MAB.. 23, 1909. RBNBWED AUG. 3, 1912.

y N EN B. P. BINDER ,& E. 0. DEULEN.

BERT TOPPER. APPLIoATIoN FILED MAR. ze, 1909. RBNBWED AUG. s, 1912.

attenua;

B. P. BINDER &1 R. 0. DEULEN.

BERT TOPPER.

APPLICATION FIL'BD MAR. 23, 1909, RENBWED AUG. 3, 1912.

Patented Oct; 15, 1912.

6 SHEETS-SHBBT 3 anonce? B. F. vBINDER & R. O. DEULEN.

BEET TOPPER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. z3, 1909. RBNEWBD AUG. 3, 1912.

1,041,003. Patented 0015.15, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Gttozmut B. F. BINDER & R. 0. DBULEN -BEET TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAIL-23, 1909. RENBWED AUG. 3, 1912. 1,041,003.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

Wi hwooeo UNITED sTATEs vPATENT oEEijoE.

BENJAMIN F. BINDER AND RALPH 0. DEULEN, OF JULESBURG, COLORADO.

BEET-TOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 23, 1909, Serial No. 485,289. Renewed August 3, 1912i Serial No. 713,160.

To all whofmit may concern.'

vBe it known that we, BENJAMIN F. BINDER and RALPH O. DEULEN, citizens of the United States. residing at Jnlesbnrg, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Toppers, of which the following is a specification. reference being had tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in beet topping mechanism.

The principal object of the invention is to 4provide a practical and efficient machine for I topping beets.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved automat-ic beet topping.

mechanism; an improved power actuated but manually controlled topping knife,

whereby beets of different sizes may be properly topped; improved means for snp- -porting the beet while being topped and then automatically dropping it.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts andin details of construction hereinafter' fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichp Figure 'l is a top plan view of our improved beet topper; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the same; Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section, parts broken away and parts indicated in dotted' lines; Fig. 4 is a detail vertical cross section taken through the front portionof the machine in advance of the rotary beet feeder; Fig. 5 is a detail vertical cross section taken through the -rear portion of the machine and looking in a forward direction: Fig. 6 is a detail vertical cross section through the machine taken in the plane of the beet snpporting table and looking rearwardly to .show the arrangement 'o f the beet topping,

holdingr and discharging mechanisms; Figs.

taken on the plane indicated by the line 9-9 in Fig. 8,* Figs. 10 and 11 are detail perspective views of opposite sides of the pivoted locking member of the clutch; Fig.. 'l2 is a similar view of themember whichcarries the pivoted locking member or trip; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the rotating dog of the clutch; Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the member4 or sleeve carrying the beet holding and discharging fingers; Fig. 15 is avperspectivc view of the topping knife; Fig. 16 is a perspective View of the rotary beet feeder; Fig. 17 is a perspective View of one of t-he beet elevating or lifting plows; Figs. 18, 19 and 2() are detail sectionalf views taken, respectively, on the planes indicated by the lines 19-19, 20-20 and 21-21 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 21. is a plan view of the gear having the eccentric groove for the pit-man which operates the oscillatory beet feeding and separating rack.

The machine comprises a main frame 1 of rectangular shape and made from a piece of heavy angle metal cnt and bent tol provide side bars 2 and a rear cross bar 3. The front ends ofthe side bars 2 are united by an upwardly curved arch 4 and by a downwardly extending arch 5 to the center of which latter is connected, by a king bolt 6, the front axle 7. The latter has suitably jonrnalcd upon its ends supporting and steering wheels 8 and fixed to its center by means of the bolt 6 and braces 9 is a draft tongue 10 to which the draft animals are attached. The rear portions of the side bars 2 have secured to them bearings 11 for a rotary rear axle 12 which carries supporting and drive wheels 13. The wheels 13 have ordinary spring clutch connections 14 with the rotary axle 12, for the purpose of facilitating the turning of the machine at the ends of the rows of beets.

Arranged within the forward portion of the main frame 1 is'a vertically' adjustable frame 15 which carries the beet digging and elevating' mechanisms. Said frame 15 is preferably formed from a single metal strap bent adjacent to its center and'ends to provide a rectangular frame, as shown in Fig. 1, and having its ends brought together and united at the front of the machine, as shown at 16. The frame 15 is attached to and hung from the cranks 17 of front and rear crank shafts 18, 19 which are journaled in bearings uponthe side bars 2 of the mainframe, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The frame 15 is made vertically adjustable for the purpose .of adjusting the beet digging mechanism into the ground and lifting it out of the ground to an inoperative position and said adjustment of the frame is preferably effected by providing at yone end'of t-he forward crank shaft or rock shaft 18, a crank arm 20 which lis connected by a link A21 to the intermediate portion of a hand lever 22. The latter is pivoted at its lower end, as shown at 23 in Figs. land 5, and carries a hand retracted pawl 24 which c o-acts with a stationary segmental rack 25,k wherebysaid lever may be locked in any adjusted angular position for the purpose of retaining the frame 15 in adjusted position.

The frame 15 carries Aone or more beet dlgging plows Vor shovels 26, an endless carrier lor elevator 27 which receives the beets from the plows and conducts them to' the top ing mechanism hereinafter described and a so' a lrotary beet feeding member 28 which causes the beets to fall from the plows upon thef endless carrier with the tops or foliage ofl Thev end#y has upon one side an extension 31,`for a,

purpose presently explained.l The lower end of the trough is rigidly connected to the side portions of the frame .15 by brackets p32, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and the upperend 'of said trough is similarly rigidly connected to the rear portion of the frame by inclined brackets or braces 33, as clearlyV shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The side portions of the top of the trough are further connected by an arched strap 34. The elevator chain 27 passes over upper and lower sprocket wheels 35, 36,' the former of which is fixed to -a transverse shaft 37 journaled in bearing brackets depending from the'side'portions of the upper end of the trough and the latter of which is journaled on a shaft arranged between the lower ends of the brackets 3 When the machine is to be used for har' vesting beets, two digging and lifting plows or shovels, such as shown more clearly in Fig. 17, are employed. Each of said plows consists of a downwardly inclined member having an outwardly curved forward end 38 and also having its intermediate portion fixed to a curved plate 39 provided with a beveled or sharpened front edge and with attaching arms 40 adapted to be bolted to the side portions of the frame 15. Project- 41 between which latterand the rear pory tion of the member or bar 26 is a tapered plate 42. The -parts 26, 41, 42 of the two opposing plows or shovels form inclines up which the beet travels as the machine moves forwardly. The arms '41 are connected by straps 43 to the side portions of the trough 29, as shown in Fig. 2.

A rotary feeder 28 for directing the beets from the plows or shovels onto the elevator is shown more clearly in Fig. 16 of vthe drawings and consists of a .cylinder 'or drum fixed to a transverse shaft 48 arranged bew tween the side portions of the frame 15. The drum or wheel 28 has at its ends radiallyprojecting flanges formedwith fingers or teeth 49 which engage the tops of the beets and throwv them rearwardly. The central portion of the wheel or feeder 28 serves as apulley wheel around which passes a drive belt 5,0 whereby said feeder is rotated. The belt 50 is crossed and passes over a pulley 51 on a\transverse shaft 52 journaled in .bearings on the side bars 2 o f the main frame.

The shaft52 is connected by a beveledspring clutch is adapted to be automatically operated when the frame 15 is lifted out of the ground, the same being effected by providing said clutch 59 wit-h an ordinary clutch shifting lever 60 which is pivoted at its lower end, as shown at 61 in Fig. 21, and has its intermediate portion connected by a link 62 to a bellcrank 63. The latter, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, isconnected by a link 64 to the crank 17 of the rear crank shaft v19. It will be seen .that when the frame l5 is raised the link 64 will be moved forwardly and the bell crank 63 will cause the link 62 to force the clutch shifting lever 60 outwardly, whereby the two spring pressed members of the clutchwill be separated, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 1. I

The drive shaft 37 of the elevator 27 is driven from the shaft 52 byia sprocket chain gearing 65 which is shown 'in Fig. .1 of the wheel 66 having a spring clutch connection other parts of the gearing ofI strain and preof the eleva-tor chain 27 by any obstruction. The beets dropfrom the upper end of the elevator 27 onto a beet supporting table 68 vents breakage in theevent ofthe stoppage which is preferably of angular shape in cross section and arranged opposite the eX- tension 81 of the trough, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings. Said table 68 .is hinged, as shown at 69, for downward and outward swinging or tilting movement, said hinge being arranged upon a trans# versely disposed upright plate 70 supported by brackets 71 from the side bars 2 of the main frame, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The tilting table 68 has its bottom portion connected by a link 72 to a crank 73 on a longitudinally extending rock shaft 74 journaled in the lower portion of the plate or support 70 and in a bearing `bracket 75 pro-l jecting from the side bar 2 of the main frame as shown in Figs. 1, 6,' 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings. Upon the rear end of the A shaft 74, as shown in Fig. of the drawings,

is a crank arm 7G having connected to 1t one end of a coil spring 77, the other end of which is fixed to a bracket arm 78 secured to the rear face of the plate 70. Said spring actuates'the crank or rock shaft 74 in one direction so that the link 72 will yieldably support the beet table 68 in elevated position, shown in Fig. 6. For the purpose of rigidly supporting said table during the cutting or topping of the beet, the rock shaft 74 is provided with another crank 79 which has connected to-it a link 80 adapted to be engaged and held `stationary by a cam 81.

lmain frame.

As illust-rated 4in Fig. 9, the link 80 is of substantially U-sha'pe and is arranged for sliding movement in an angular bracket 82 secured to one of the side bars of the An anti-friction roller 83 is journaled upon the U-shaped link 80 and is adapted to be engaged by. the cam 81, which latter is` substantially semi-circular in shape, as shown. Said cam is carried by one end of an intermittently operated member or sleeve 84 loosely arranged on the shaft 54 and adapted to be intermittently operated, as presently explained. Said sleeve or member 84 is held against longitudinal movement'on the shaft by a stop collar 85 as shown in Fig. 1, and carired by the other end of said member or sleeve is a sprocket. wheel 86 from one side of which projects being severed by a topping knife 90. The swinging stop erogate 88 is arranged in the recessed upper portion of the transverse plate and is hung froma horizontal pivot 91,

lwhereby its lower' end may swing rearwardly and upwardly, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. =2 and 6 of the drawings. Projecting rearwardly from the swinging gate or stop 88 is an `arm 92 which is connected by a link 93, as shown in Fig. 5, to a bell crank 94 pivoted on the rear face of the plate 70 and in turn connected by a-link 95 to a trip supporting lever 9G pivoted at 97 on al bracket 98 projecting from the side bar 2 of themain frame. Said lever has an upwardly projecting en'd or finger adapted to engage a clutch member .for trip 99 which is pivoted on the pivot pin 87 and adapted to swing transversely ofthe shaft 54 and `to co-act with both the lever 96 and a rotary dog or clutch member 100 which is fixed to the shaft 54. The trip 99 is formed upon one side of its large or weighted end with a laterally projecting en largement 101 forming a lower shoulder 102 to be engaged by the upper end of the lever 96 and also forming a shoulder 103 adapted to be. engaged by one of the two lugs or projections 104 on the constantly rotating .dog or clutch member 100. The shape of the' trip 99 is such that when the upper end of the lever 9G is disposed under the shoulder 102 said trip will ybe supported in an elevated position shown in full lines in, Fig. 5 so that the shoulder 108 will be out of the path of movement of the projections 104 on the dog or member 100, and that.

when the lever 90 is retracted to permit the weighted end of the trip to drop by gravity to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5, said shoulder 103 will be disposed in the path of one of the projections 104 so that the dog 100 will cause the trip 99 and hence the sleeve or member.81l which supports it, to rotate with the shaft 54. The lower end of the lever 90 is formed with a projecting arm to which is connected one end of which latter is fixed to the bracket arm 78. The spring 105 actuates the upperV end of the lever outwardly or to a position beneath the path of the shoulder 1,02 and such swinging movement of the lever 96 is adapted to be limited by the engagement of a finger or projection 106 on said lever with a stop lug 107 on the bracket 98, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. i

The topping knife 90 has a beveled cutting edge with a longitudinally curved outer end and its inner end is provided with a hub 1.08 which is keyed to rotate with but is longitudinally slidable upon a forwardly a coil spring 105, the other end of bracket 75, as shown in lFigs. 1 and 2. of the drawings. The rear end of the knife shaft 109 has lixed upon it a sprocket wheel 110, whereby said shaft is rotated to swing' the .knife past the rear end of the beet supporting table G8 for the purpose of cutting the tops from the body portions of the beets. The knife lis made longitudinally slidable on` the shaft '109 so that a greater or less amount of the body of the beet may be cut olf with the top or foliage and so that the machine will effectively operate upon beets of different sizes. Said sliding or shifting movement of the knife is' adapted tol be manually operated by means of a hand lever 111 which has the usual pawl and ratchet locking device, 4as shown at 112 in Fig. 1 and which is connected interme- `diate its ends by a link 113 to a rod 114 which `slides in bearings upon the top of the plate 70 and the top of an angular bracket 115 arranged on said plate, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of therlrawings. The forward end of the rod 114 has a forked lower end 116, as shown in Fig. 6, and the ends ofthe arms of 4said fork are bifureated to receive the vends ofa scmi-circular yoke 117"-which is seated' in an annular groove 118 formed in the hub 108 of the knife 90, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 15 of the drawings. y It will be seen that when the' hand lever 111 is 4moved .for-y wardly and rearwardly, the knife 90 will be 35 shifted in a forward or rearward direction for the purpose of enabling the beets' to be properly topped.

For the purpose of lirst forcing the cut top'or foliage -of the beet downwardly through the space 89 and then discharging the body portion of the beetfrom the table 68, a beet top discharging finger 119 is fixed to a forwardly and rearwardly extending shaft 120, which latter also carries one or Vmore iingers121 for engaging the body of the beet and forcing the saine from the tilted table 68. The arms 119, 121 are preferably form'ed integral with a sleeve 122, as shown in Fig. 14, which sleeve is fixed to the shaft 120. Said shaft 120 is journaled in a bearing in the plate 70 and in a bearing bracket 123 lixed to one of the side bars 2' of the main frame, as shown in Fig. 1. Fixed to the yrear end of the shaft 120 isa gear 124 which meshes with a gear 125 on a short shaft 126 to which latter is also fixed a sprocket wheel 127. The three sprocket wheels 127, 110 and 86 are connected by a sprocket chain 128. as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, whereby the knife, the beet top and beet body discharging fingers and the holding cam .for the tilting table will be simultaneously operated at. intervals or when the trip or clutch mechanism locks thev4 rotary member or sleeve 84 to the shaft 54, as hereinafter more fully explained.

The beet tops as they are forced through the space 89 by the discharging finger 119 drop upon a platform 129 or other suitable support, from which. latter they Amay be dumped or discharged' from time to time. As illustrated, the platform 129 is'in the form -of a rectan ula-'r plate hung for swinging movement rom the rear vaxle 12, as shown at 130 in Figs. 2 and 5 of the draw.- ings. The rear edge of the platform is con# nected by a link 131 to abell crank 132 pivoted upon the plate 70 and in turn connected by a link 133 to a bell crank 134 pivoted to one of theI side bars 2 of the'main frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Said bell crank 134, as shown more clearly in Fig. 19, is connected by a link 135 to the rear or heel portion of a' foot lever136, which latter is pivoted intermediate its ends on a bracket 13 Aprojecting from the main frame. It will be seen that'when the heel portion of the foot lever 1.36 is depressed, the link 131 will be lowered to incline the reary portion of the platform downwardly so that the 'beet tops will slide offv of the same and be deposited in a pile upon the ground.

The body portions of the beets when discharged from the tilting table 68 fall upon an oscillatory feed-ing and'separati rack 138 consisting of a plurality vof rots-connected together and mounted for oscillatory.

or reciprocatory movement.. Said rods, .as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, are bent into zig zag shape, whereby the beets will be fed `longitudinally from end to 'end of the rack and they are also curved transversely so as to conduct the beets into the trough 139 of a transvergely extending elevator 140, which latter ischarges them `int-o a wagon driven alongside of the machine. their ends passedthrough connecting bars 141 and fixed thereby by means ofv nuts 142, as shown in Figs. 3 and 20 of the drawings. Said connecting bars 141 are apertured to receive and slide upon a plurality of supporting and guide `rods 143 fixed to and projecting from one of the side bars 2 of the main frame and one of the sides of the trough 139. The intermediate portions of the rack bars 138 are also connected to a cross bar 144 which is in turn connected to one end of an eccentric rod 145. |The latter has its other end bent downwardly and ar- The rack bars 138 have ranged in an eccentric groove v146 formed in the top of a gear 147, as shown in Figs. 3 and 22 of thedrawings. It will be seen that when the gear 147 is rotated the rod 145 will be oscillated and its oscillatory movement will be imparted to the rack 138 so that the beets will be fed by the latter from beneath the tilting table 68 around into the nally curved and upwardly projecting guard cured to one side of t plate `148 is provided around the forward vedge of the rack 138 so as to prevent the beets from working off of said rack, said guard or side rail 148 being fixed to the main frame, as clearly shown in Fi 3.

For the purpose of preventin the body portions and tops of the beets from being thrown off of the rack 138 and platform v129, by the discharge fingers 121, 119, respectively, an upright forwardly and rearwardly extending stop plate 149 1s secured to the plate 70, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings.v Said plate 149 is slotted to permit the lingers 119, 121 to pass therethrough -and to it 1s secured another stop plate or partition plate 150, which latter is arranged immediately at the Arear edge of the tilting table 68, as shown in Fig. 6, and is adapted to prevent the heet tops from falling onto the rack 138.

The discharge trough 139 is suitably see rear portion of the main frame and is inclined upwardly and outwardly so that the endless elevator chain 140 which travels through it will discharge the beets into a wagon adapted to be driven through the field alongside of the machine. Said elevator chain 140 has its lower end passing over a sprocket wheel fixed to a .shaft 151 which has also fixed to it a beveled gear 152 which meshes with the beveled gear 147, ,as shown 'in Fig. 2 of the drawings, whereby the motion of said elevator will be imparted t0 the' rack 138. The upper end of the elevator chain 140 passes over a sprocket wheel on one end of a shaft 153, which latter is connected by a sprocket chain gearing 154 to the shaft 54,` as clearly shown in Figs. 1l

lows: Assuming the parts to be in normal operative position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, when the machine isdrawn forwardly over a row of beets by the draft animals, the shovels or plows 26 will travel through the earth and lift the beets out of the same. As the beets ride up the inclined rear portions of said plows, ithe fingers or teeth of the feed wheel 28 throw the tops of the beets rearwardly and their body portions are caught by the fingers or projections on the elevator chain 27, which latter moves the beets upwardly through t-he trough .29 and depositsv them on the table 68. As a beet is forced rearwardly on said table by the elevator, its foliage strikes the stop gate 88 and swings the latter rearwardly, whereupon, the trip supporting lever 96` is swung inwardly from bev eath the gravity actuated trip 99. The latter drops so that its shoulder. 103 will be caught by one of the projections 104 on the constantly rotating dog 100 andthe rotary member or sleeve or will be locked to the shaft 54 and will make one rotation therewith. The instant-the member 84 begins to turn with the shaft 54, the chain 128 will cause the top# ping knife 90 to rotate and in swinging 'downwardly across the rear end of the lating platform 68 will not be forced down- -i wardly by the beet. After the knife travels past the rear end of the table 68, the beet top discharging finger 119 swings past the same, as shown in Fig. 7, and forces the beet top down upon the platform 129 and then the fingers 121 engage the body portion of the beet and force the latter downwardly off of the table 68, which latter is automatically tilted at the proper time by the action of the spring 77. The holding cam 8l is so shaped and arranged that it will leave the rollery 83 a little before the beet dis-y charging fingers 121 engage the beet so that the spring 77 will cause the table 68 to tilt to the position shown in Fig. 48, whereu on,

'by the finger 119, the spring 105 will return the lever 96 to its normal position shown in full linesin Fig. 5 so that as the trip 99 comes around with the shaft 54, said lever will engage its shoulder -102 and support it elevated with its shoulder 103 out of the path of the projections 104 on the dog '100, which latter will continue to rotate with the shaft `54 while the knife, lingers and cam will remain stationary until the clutch device is tripped by the next beet. The beets deposited on the rack 138 will be fed by the latter to the discharge elevator 140 and in moving around on said rack they will be agitated so that any earth clinging to' them will drop from the same. Since the rack 138 is open, any leaves or foliage of the beets which may drop upon the rack with the body portions of the beets, will drop through the rack and upon the plat# form 129. The beet tops and leaves on said platform may be dropped from time lto time by the operator who sits upon theseat provided at the rear of the main frame and who has his foot on the lever 136. When the machine is to be turned around or moved from place to place, the lever 22 is operated to elevate t-he frame 15 and thereby lift the nation'of a supporting frame, a tilting beet ploWs .or shovels 26 out of the ground. When the frame is elevated all the different .parts of the machine will be simultaneously thrown out of operation since all parts are driven through the spring clutch 59, which latter is disconnected when said frame is raised.

While4 We have shown and described in detail the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that We do not limit ourselves to the construction set forth since various changes in the form, proportion and arrangement of parts and the details of 4construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed. is:

' l. In a beet topping machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a tilting beet support-ing table, a holding means for said table, a beet topping knifegneansfor feeding beets on to said table, a trip adapted to be engaged and actuated by a beet, and an actuating means controlled by said trip for intermittently operating said knife, and

Ysaid table holding means.

2. In a' beettoppingmachine, the combination of a supporting'franie, a tilting beet supporting table, a beet engaging trip adjacentqsaid table, means for feeding beets on to said Atable and against said trip, Aa rotary beet topping knife, a holding means for said table, a -constantly moving drive shaft, and means actuated from4 said shaft and `controlled by said trip for intermitv*tent-ly rotating said knife, and controlling said table holding means. Y

, 3.' In a beet topping machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a tilting beet supporting table, a beet engaging trip adjacent to said table, means for feeding beets on to said table,a holding means for said table, beet body discharging means, a constantly rotating shaft, and means actuated from said shaft and controlled by said trip for intermittently rotating said knife, actuating said beet body discharging means, and controlling said table holding means.

4. Ina beet topping machine, the combisupporting table, a beet engaging trip adjacent said table, means for feeding beets on to said table, and against said trip, a rotary beet toppingknife, holding means for said table, beet vbody discharging means, beet top discharge means, a constantly rotating shaft, and means actuated from said shaft and controlled by said trip, for intermittently rotating said knife, actuating said beetl top and beet body discharging means and controlling said table holding means.

5. The combination of a beet support, a beet topping knife, and a rotarynnember having two fingers disposed one in advance of the other with reference to the pivotal axis of sald membersothat4 one of said ngers engages the body and the other the top of the beet, the beet top engaging finger being disposed ahead of the beet vbody engaging finger with reference to the direction of revoluble movement of the said rotary member, so that said beet top engaging finger engages and discharges the beet top and the other finger immediately thereof engages and discharges the beet body.

6. `The combination -of `a beet support, a

movable beet-topping lmife means for feed# ing beets upon-said support, means for inter-A mittently actuating said knife, a trip mechanism controlled bv a beet on said support for controlling the knife-actuating means,

other end, th'e said beet top engaging and discharging finger lbeing' disposed in advance'of the beetbody engaging and discharging finger in the direction of rotary movement of the said sleeve.

8. rIfhe combination of a tilting beet support, a co-acting topping knife, means fory actuating said knife and means for tilting the support to discharge the beet after it has been topped by the knife.

- 9. The combination of a tilting beet sup- Vport, said support being spring actuated to its tilted positionl to discharge 4the beet, a topping knife, means for actuating the latter and means for holding said beet supportin elevated position during the topping' of the beet.

10. The combination of a tilting beet sup porting table, a spring for actuating the f same to tilted position, a holding means for said table, a co-acting topping knife, beet top discharging means, beet body discharging means,` and intermittently operated means for simultaneously 4actuating said table holding means, said knife and said beet top and beet body discharging means.

11. The combination of a tilting beet supporting table, a spring for actuating the same to tilted position, a holding means for said table, a co-acting topping knife. beet top discharging means, beet body discharging means, means for feeding beets upon said table, a constantly moving driving means, means for simultaneously actuating said table holding means, said knife and lsaid tiet top and body discharging means` ing connections for said knife and discharge.

means, a clutch for connecting the latter to said driving connections for the knife and discharge means and a trip mechanism aeti'iated by a beet upon the table for controlling said clutch.

13. The combination of a downwardly tilting beet support, a co-acting topping knife, means for actuating said knife, and means for holding the support in elevated position during the topping of the beet.

14. The combination of a downwardly tilting beet support, a co-acting beet-topping knife, a double crank shaft, a link connecting one crank of said shaft to said tilting support, 4a second link connected to the other crank of said shaft, and a rotary cam co-acting with said second link.

15. The combination o f a downwardly tilting beet support, a co-actiiig beet-topping knife, a double crank shaft, a link connecting one crank of said shaft to said tilting support, a second link connected to the other crank o-f said shaft, means for guiding said second link, a rotary cam to eo-act with said second link, an arm upon said double crank shaft, Aand a coil spring having one end anchored and its other end eonnectedto said arm.

16. The combination of a downwardly tilting beet support, means for feeding beets upon the latter, a rotary topping knife, a rotary". beet discharging linger, a rotary member, means controlled by the latter' for retaining the beet support in elevated position, and means for simultaneouslyrotating Said member, said knife and said linger, and

' av trip mechanism controlled by a beet on said su port and adapted to cont-rol said .means `or rotating said member, knife and finger.

17. The combination of a tilting beet supporting table, a holding means for said table,l a topping knife to co-act with said table, beet discharging means to co-act with said table, and means for simultaneously actuating'said table holding means, said knife and-said beet, discharging means.

l18. The combination of a tilting beet supporting table, a holding means for said table, atopping knife toco-act with said i table, beet discharging means .to co-act with said table, and intermittently operated means for simultaneously actuating said table holding means, said knife and said beet discharging means.

19. The combiiiation of a tilting heet supporting table, a holding means for said, table, a topping knife to co-act with said table, beet discharging means to co-act with said table, means for simultaneously actuat. ing said table holding means, said knife and said beet discharging means, means for feeding beets upon said table, a constantly moving driving means, and a trip-controlled connecting means actuated by a .beet on ,said table and adapted to operatively connect said constantly moving driving means to said actuating means.

20. The combination of a tilting beet-slipporting table, means for feeding beets thereon, a topping knife to co-actwith said table, meansfor holding said table elevated, and means for simultaneously actuating said table-holding means and said knife.

21. The combination of a tilting beet-siipporting table, means for feeding beets thereon, a to ping knife to co-act with said table, means or holding said table elevated, and intermittently operated means for simultaneously actuating said knife and said table holding means.

22. The combination of a tilting beet-supporting table, means for feeding beets thereon, a topping knife to co-act with said table,

means for holding said table elevated, means for simultaneously actuating said knife and said table-holding means, a constantly moving driving means, and a trip-coiitrolled connecting means operated by a beet on said table and adapted to operatively connect said actuating `means to said constantly moving driving means.

23. The combination of a beet support, a rotary topping knife to co-acttherewith, a constantly rotating driving shaft, a rotary dog fixed to said shaft, a rotary element loose on said shaft and having an eccentric pivot, means for imparting the motion of said'clement to said knife, means for feeding beets upon said beet support, a swinging clutch member mounted on said eccentric pivot and having a shoulder to move into the path of Said dog, a supportingmeniber for engaging and supporting `the clutch memberl with its shoulder out of the path of said dog, a movable trip adapted to be en'- gaged and actuated by a beet upon said beet support, and operative connections betweenl said trip and said support-ing member.

24. The combination of a beet support, a

Arotary topping knife to coact therewith, a

constantly rotating driving shaft, a rotary dog fixed to said shaft, means for imparting the motion of said element to said knife, means for feeding beets upon said beet suport a swin in clutch member mounted 0n 7 D hCH ' said eccevtrio pivot and having a shoulder to move into the path of said dog, a spring pressed supporting lever adapted to engage and support said clutch member with its shouldervout of the path of said dog, a sWn ing trip adapted to be engaged and act-ueted by avbeet upon said beet support,

andy' operative connections between said Itrip and sald supportlng lever.

BENJAMIN F. BINDER. ;4 RALPH O. DEULEN.

Vtnesses:

ROBERT M. ADAMS, It. E. BARRETT. 

